Psychosocial factors in patients with kidney failure and role for social worker : a secondary data audit

Background: People with kidney failure face a multitude of psychosocial stressors that affect disease trajectory and health outcomes. Objectives: To investigate psychosocial factors affecting people with kidney failure before or at start of kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and kidney supportive and palliative care (KSPC) phases of illness and to explore role of social worker during the illness trajectory. Methods: We conducted a secondary data audit of patients either before or at start of KRT (Phase 1) and at the KSPC (Phase 2) of illness and had psychosocial assessments between March 2012 and March 2020 in an Australian setting. Results: Seventy-nine individuals, aged 70 ± 12 years, had at least two psychosocial assessments, one in each of the two phases of illness. The median time between social worker evaluations in Phase 1 and Phase 2 was 522 (116−943) days. Adjustment to illness and treatment (90%) was the most prevalent psychosocial issue identified in Phase 1, which declined to 39% in Phase 2. Need for aged care assistance (7.6%−63%; p < 0.001) and carer support (7.6%−42%; p < 0.001) increased significantly from Phase 1 to Phase 2. There was a significant increase in psychosocial interventions by the social worker in Phase 2, including supportive counselling (53%−73%; p < 0.05), provision of education and information (43%−65%; p < 0.01), and referrals (28%−62%; p < 0.01). Conclusion: Adults nearing or at the start of KRT experience immense psychosocial burden and adaptive demands that recognisably change during the course of illness. The positive role played by the nephrology social worker warrants further investigation

Baltyminės belkozino plėvelės apvalkalo deformacinių savybių tyrimas panaudojant histerezės kilpas

The article contains research results of deformation characteristics of belkozin membrane obtained owing to the application of hysteresis loops technique. A number of important parameters for automated production have been established, e.g. plasticity properties, film strengthening phenomenon at cyclic load, reverse deformation dynamics, etc. It was found that belkozin features nonpersistent offset strain dependant on cyclic load. Offset strain produces its highest value during the first loading cycle and is declining with every new cycle. The results can be used in setting optimal parameters of automated sausage production

Danaparoid use for haemodialysis in a morbidly obese patient with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia : need for a higher than recommended weight-based dosing

What is known and objective: Heparin is widely used to prevent clotting of the extracorporeal circuit during haemodialysis (HD). Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a potentially devastating immune mediated adverse drug reaction caused by the emergence of antibodies that activate platelets in the presence of heparin, leading to a pro-thrombotic state. Danaparoid is an alternative anticoagulant used in patients on HD with HIT but its dosing recommendations in obese patients on HD are relatively scarce. Case summary: We report a case of a 48-year-old morbidly obese patient who received weight-based dosing of danaparoid for HD with monitoring of anti-Xa activity. However, despite the patient's anti-Xa level being within the therapeutic range at various time points, the circuit lines kept clotting during HD. What is new and conclusion: The report provides evidence that the manufacturer's recommendations on dosing danaparoid based on body weight may lead to sub-optimal therapeutic benefit and highlight the need for higher than recommended weight-based dosing in obese individuals on dialysis

Effect of androgenic-anabolic steroids and heavy strength training on patellar tendon morphological and mechanical properties

Combined androgenic- anabolic steroids (AAS) and overloading affects tendon collagen metabolism and ultrastructure and is often associated with a higher risk of injury. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate whether such effects would be reflected in the patellar tendon properties of individuals with a history of long-term resistance training and AAS abuse (RTS group), compared with trained (RT) and untrained (CTRL) nonsteroids users. Tendon cross-sectional area (CSA), stiffness, Young's modulus, and toe limit strain were measured in vivo, from synchronized ultrasonography and dynamometry data. The patellar tendon of RT and RTS subjects was much stiffer and larger than in the CTRL group. However, stiffness and modulus were higher in the RTS group (26%, P < 0.05 and 30%, P < 0.01, respectively) than in the RT group. Conversely, tendon CSA was 15% (P < 0.05) larger in the RT group than in RTS, although differences disappeared when this variable was normalized to quadriceps maximal isometric torque. Yet maximal tendon stress was higher in RTS than in RT (15%, P < 0.05), without any statistical difference in maximal strain and toe limit strain between groups. The present lack of difference in toe limit strain does not substantiate the hypothesis of changes in collagen crimp pattern associated with AAS abuse. However, these findings indicate that tendon adaptations from years of heavy resistance training are different in AAS users, suggesting differences in collagen remodeling. Some of these adaptations (e.g., higher stress) could be linked to a higher risk of tendon injury. Copyright © 2013 the American Physiological Society

[In Press] Psychosocial factors affecting patients with end-stage kidney disease and the impact of the social worker

Background End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) incidence has been increasing over time, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. However, there is limited data examining the psychosocial factors affecting people with ESKD and how the social worker fits within the multidisciplinary CKD care. This integrative systematic review aims to summarise the existing evidence on psychosocial determinants of outcomes in ESKD and the role of the social worker in nephrology care. Method The literature search was conducted using PubMed and MEDLINE, targeting articles published from database inception until May 2021. This systematic review was performed in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The Joanna Briggs Institute tools were employed to assess the quality of included studies. Results Of the 397 citations, 13 studies applicable to 1465 patients met the inclusion criteria. The studies were of cross-sectional, experimental, and exploratory qualitative design in nature. The findings of the studies were summarised into three major themes—psychosocial factors, role of the renal social worker, and impact of the renal social worker. The studies demonstrated that concerns related to adjustment, death and dying, family and social functioning, and loss were common amongst participants of the included studies indicating the need for a social worker. Three studies explored the impact of social workers in ESKD, revealing that people who received support from social workers had an improved quality of life, lower depression scores, and reduced hospitalisations and emergency room visits. Conclusion This review summarizes the multitude of physical and psychological stressors that patients with ESRD face, and highlights the positive role social workers can play in improving the psychosocial stressors in this patient group, and the need for large-scale randomised trials to understand the role of social workers as part of a multidisciplinary nephrology care